The Timekeepers Wife
by Cookie Creed
Summary: Andrea Davis has worked for Raymond Leon for ten years, ever since he saved her in Livingston. It's ten years too much, for they find themselves falling head over heels for each other. Rated M for language and adult themes.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

_10 years before_

Never before, in his forty years working in this job, had Timekeeper Raymond Leon seen such a peculiar sight.

He tilted his head and slid his gun back into its sheath, satisfied that he was in no danger. In front of him, the girl he'd been tracking stood there pathetically, clutching to her chest a dozen time capsules, each with a month on it. She glared at him.

"This is my time!" she yelled "I earned it!"

"I'm not here to rob you," he assured her. "I was simply checking up on time around here."

While he spoke, he glanced down at her left arm. If he expected to see the time ticking down, he was surprised when he saw her year still intact. She wasn't even twenty-five yet. No wonder she needed the months. From what he gathered about the hovel she lived in, she was alone.

"How old are you?" he asked.

She narrowed her eyes. "Fifteen. How old are you?"

"Sixty-seven," he replied. "What's your name?"

"Andrea Davis. What's yours?"

"Raymond Leon. Pleasure to meet you." He held out his hand and she peered at it suspiciously before setting down her time and shaking it. He stared at her skinny form and felt an unexpected stab of pity.

"What?" she asked. "You're staring at me."

"Oh," he said in some embarrassment, "I was observing how awful you look."

"Thanks for noticing," she mumbled, pulling her hand away and staring at the year. "I can't feed myself properly. There's no way for me to survive."

Leon made a split-second decision and hoped that he wouldn't regret it. "Would you like to come back with me? I mean, you would work hard to earn your keep, but I can help you out."

Why, oh why did he have such a soft spot for the young ones who hadn't access to time yet? He'd always taken pity on them and given them time, but this was crazy. Never before had he asked one to live with him.

"I'm not some sex slave!" she said indignantly. He raised his hands, realising how it might sound. A man she just met was offering to take her home. It was plain creepy.

"No! I didn't mean it like that! I just meant you could come back to New Greenwich and be one of the servants at my home. I've got a few but one of them was reassigned so I have a free spot. It would give you the extra time."

Andrea glanced around at her miserable hovel and made her decision. "Leon, I'm coming with you. Livingston was getting too boring anyway."

Before she left with him, she stopped to gather up her time and slipped that into her carry-bag. He waited for her to join him and led her to his car.

What was he doing? This was against protocol. It was his job to keep the peace and to not give people hope! But this girl was so helpless. He was against people dying, and if he could prevent the inevitable future then he would. She didn't deserve to die. There was so much to experience out there and it was unfair to take it all away when he could give her a chance. She didn't have to live forever, but he could offer her more than Livingston could.

Wincing, he remembered his own past and thought that he was doing well. Forty years ago he'd escaped from his inevitable future and become a Timekeeper. He'd never regretted that. Now he had a chance to rescue someone and he wasn't going to pass it by.

He saw her staring out at the city through the window as he drove her out of Livingston. Smiling wryly, he slid his hand into the machine that gave him time.

"Wire me two years," he said. She looked at him. "It's so I can pay to get to New Greenwich. Things can get very expensive there."

After that, they didn't speak. He was dying to talk to her, but now that she worked for him they had all the time in the world. As long as they didn't time out, he had plenty of time to learn about her. She certainly didn't seem malicious and was just wary. Of course, growing up in such a nasty place would mean that she was cautious. And there was that spark of defiance in his eyes that he found endearing. She would be a handful, but a delightful distraction from the hardships of his job. It would be fun trying to teach her about the new Greenwich ways and he made a mental note to train her himself.

Eventually, after hours of driving, he pulled up outside his quaint little house. He loved that house. It was so warm and welcoming… surely she would appreciate it too. He held open the door for her and was rewarded by a smile filled with teeth.

After showing her around, he sent her for a shower and gave her clothes that belonged to his old roommate before they moved out. She took in the six bedrooms, the kitchen, dining room, seven bathrooms and living room with shaky breaths. He understood that it would be overwhelming for her, since she'd only known the harshness of Livingston. Once again he applauded his choice. He settled back on his favourite couch to await her return.

She came back ten minutes later, all clean and fresh. He saw for the first time how promising her looks would be. She was tall with a strong physique, shoulder-length blonde hair, upturned features and soft brown eyes full of light. It made him conscious of how lifeless his own blue eyes were and he dipped his head, hiding his eyes with his black hair and not looking at her.

"Do I look like a New Greenwich snob?" she asked, posing flippantly. He laughed at her attempt at style and clapped his hands. Immediately a woman appeared.

"Yes sir?" she woman asked.

"Doreen," he said, "this is Andrea. She's the new staff member. Show her a room where she can unpack and I'll be back in time for dinner."

"Yes sir," Doreen replied.

Andrea went with Doreen upstairs and he stood, going back outside to his car. He had to report to headquarters to write his evaluation on time in Livingston.

On his way to headquarters, his mind was filled with blonde hair and soft brown eyes, and he smiled wryly as he thought of how interesting rearing her was going to be.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

_Present Day_

For ten years Andrea had worked faithfully in Leon's household as a maid. She thoroughly enjoyed the work and was pleased to have been given a chance at life. However she hadn't yet experienced the pleasures of New Greenwich because she wasn't old enough to pay. Leon forbid her from leaving the house without supervision, so she often went to work with him or he took her around the Time Zone to show her its wonders.

What she loved most was the ocean. She loved it when he came inside and declared that they were going to the beach. It was a welcome respite from cleaning the house. Even though she was well paid with capsules, it wasn't completely satisfying. There was something missing.

The day started as any other. Andrea made Leon his breakfast and ate her own with him. She knew he enjoyed her company and they talked about many things: work, time and many more. Then he would get dressed and she would brush his hair tenderly.

"Bye Andrea," he said fondly, smiling and leaving through the front door. She waved and grinned, turning to go back inside. Doreen was there mending clothes.

"You know," Doreen said, "it's about time Leon got a wife."

"You reckon?"

"I've heard the gossip and a couple of pretty women in his department are talking about getting to know him better in _that_ way. He's been alone for a long time."

"I know. He's never had a girlfriend." Andrea was pleased to know that about him. Leon just didn't care for relationships. He was married to his job.

"I'm eager for the day when he brings home his wife and we have little children running about the place," Doreen said dreamily. "I've always wanted children, but I don't have the time. Leon works us every second of the day. You are so lucky to not have to worry about your clock."

"At least you don't have to worry about not being able to pay for anything," Andrea retorted. "I get funny looks when I pay with capsules. People don't seem to understand that I'm too young to have time."

She stared at the year, frozen on her wrist, and sighed. What she wouldn't give to have no clock. Old-fashioned money was so much simpler.

Doreen glanced at her own time. "Ugh, I've got to get more time. I've only got a day."

"I can go with you to the time lender," Andrea offered. "Remember last time they tried to cheat you?"

"Of course I do," she rolled her eyes. "Just make sure you get the math right. I don't want to be paid less time than I should, even if Leon is generous in our wages."

They were joined by Rodney, the man who took care of the heavy-lifting. He kissed Doreen gently and swung a wrench around in his hand.

"Leon's normal car is fixed," he announced. "Now you can go out in the shiny one instead of his work one."

Rodney and Doreen had been married for twenty years. They liked working for Leon as much as Andrea did. He really was a kind person, even if he came across as cold and indifferent. It was his personality.

Andrea went to the kitchen and got to work cleaning it. She always liked to have the house in perfect order when Leon came home. It brought such a smile to his face after all the stress of work. Sometimes he would take her out and get her a treat if he was in a good mood, and sometimes he would storm up to his study and stay there for hours. He only came down when he needed time wired and then she had a chance to talk to him, give him a massage and calm him down.

Today was one of _those _days. He stormed into the house, bringing with him static electricity, and marched up to his study, slamming the door behind him. Andrea and Doreen exchanged a glance and they continued cleaning. Doreen was patching up some of Leon's clothes while Andrea was cleaning the living room. She paid extra attention to his favourite chair, dusting it completely, and went to make a scrumptious stew. Leon loved her stews.

He came down an hour later and stocked up on twenty-four hours of time. Then he went to the kitchen and helped himself to the stew. Andrea was behind him immediately, rubbing his shoulders gently.

"Bad day?" she asked.

"One of the worst," he sighed. "Those Minutemen are making more daring heists. They stole a year from Dayton today and refused to give it back, so I had to detain them. They shot one of my guys."

"That does sound bad," she said sympathetically. "Eat your stew."

He obeyed her order without hesitation and rolled up his leather sleeves before taking his first mouthful. Andrea heard him sigh in contentment and he settled back, eating more stew.

"This is amazing," he said through a mouthful of stew. She tapped the back of his head playfully and he almost spat it out.

"Don't talk with food in your mouth," she ordered. He meekly abided to her order and didn't speak until he was finished eating.

"I'm gonna turn in early," he said, leaning back. "Don't forget, you three have this weekend off."

A smile lit up her face. "Of course I won't forget! None of the other servants I know get a day off."

"None of the servants you know work as hard as you," he retorted. She laughed and he stood, heading upstairs to his bedroom. For a second she watched him go, then turned on her heel and got a helping of stew. Doreen and Rodney joined her soon after and the three of them were happily chatting about Leon's non-existent love-life and their upcoming weekend off. The couple planned to go on a romantic cruise and spend the night in a comfortable hotel on the shore. Andrea planned to stay home and relax. Leon had work all weekend, like he did every day, and he could not afford a break. Perhaps she should invite him out and they could relax together in the evening when he came home. He did work too hard.

The three servants ate quickly then Andrea cleaned up their dinner things while Doreen and Rodney went to bed. It was an unspoken rule that Andrea cleaned the dishes but she didn't mind and worked with gusto. Once she was done she tip-toed upstairs, changed into her bedclothes and lay in her bed, settling down for sleep.

It was like someone had punched her in the chest – and she knew what that felt like. All the air was knocked from her lungs and she shot up into a sitting position, breathing raggedly. She clutched at her chest and reason slammed into her. Shaking, she looked at her bare arm. So it had now happened. The year ticked away on her wrist. The green numbers warped and changed… and it frightened her. Now she could die if she timed out. Oh, she was scared. Death stared at her in the face.

She barely managed to keep the tears from rolling down her cheeks as she stood shakily and stared at her mirror. So this is what she would look like for the rest of her life. Long blonde hair, tall, strong and muscular, expressive brown eyes set in almond-shaped sockets and breasts that weren't nearly as big as she wanted them to be.

Slowly, she forced down the fear. She was well-off. For the past ten years she'd been stocking up time as she was paid it and now she could use it. Thinking quickly, she darted from her room and up the hall, stopping outside Leon's room. She knocked.

"Come in," he replied. Like a wave she burst into the room, her eyes wide. For a second he was confused then he saw her wrist slowly counting down the seconds of her life. Then he smiled.

"Why," he said, "that's great!"

"No it's not," she said in a low voice. "Now I can die if I time out."

He sighed. "Andrea, you're in New Greenwich. You're not going to die. Everyone here has more time then you and they don't need more. Besides, now you are of age."

"Of age for what?"

"Of age to marry."

"Oh." She was confused. Now she could marry? No, that was ridiculous. She didn't want to marry just yet. In her opinion men were unreliable and used women to get what they want. Some men were okay, like Rodney and Leon, but they were out-of-bounds. Who had time to marry anyway? There was so much work to do and now she had little time to do it.

"But I don't want to marry yet," she said in a small voice. Leon smiled and touched her shoulder tenderly.

"You don't have to marry," he assured her. "I would like to keep you among my staff for as long as possible, since you make the most amazing stews."

"Thank you," she said gratefully. "Will I have enough time to last a while?"

"Hey, you don't pay for taxes here. That comes out of my wages. You just spend some time on something you've always wanted. If I have time on your weekend off I can go with you to choose."

"Really? Thank you!"

Surprising herself as much as him, Andrea hugged Leon tightly. He stood there awkwardly and patted her back, as if he didn't know what to do. Embarrassed, she stepped back and nodded respectfully.

"Thank you for your offer," she said. "I gladly accept."

"Of course," he said warmly. For a second, Andrea saw something flicker in those lifeless eyes of his. But then it was gone and she found herself wondering what it was.

Smiling, she left the room, but her smile faded when she looked at her clock.

_Things will get interesting from now on_, she thought.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Leon tapped the dashboard to his normal car impatiently, glad that it was fixed (because he didn't have to drive around in that conspicuous police car), but wondering what Andrea was doing that could possibly take ten minutes. Ten minutes ago she said she was almost ready for their outing. What could be-?

He understood the reason the second she walked through that door. She was dressed simply in a bikini with a skirt wrapped around her waist and her hair was braided close to her head. It must have been the braid that had taken those ten minutes. From what he knew about hair-care, that kind of care took a long time.

Yesterday, she'd spent her first time on a gorgeous puppy with big brown eyes and curly brown fur. She'd named him Buttons and he'd taken to Leon straight away. Obviously she'd left him in the care of Doreen so she could go on the outing with Leon.

She dumped her bag in the back seat and climbed into the front one, pulling her skirt down to cover her legs. It was a natural reaction. She was comfortable being in the car with the moody Timekeeper, but he was still a man, and he was very aware of that fact.

"So," he said, "where would you like to go?"

"The beach," she said immediately.

"I daresay that little cove that no one else knows about," he said cheekily. She gave him a funny look.

"Of course. People don't swim here. I mean, it's odd that _I_ even like to swim."

Leon gunned the engine and the car shot away from the house, weaving through slow traffic. It was a habit of his, from chasing speeding cars most days, to drive fast. This car was well-known around the area and no one would pull it over, seeing as it belonged to the Timekeeper Raymond Leon.

At the moment he was like any other man, taking his friend out to have fun. He pulled up at the beach and they walked for a few minutes, chatting happily, until reaching their cove.

They called it _their_ cove, because they fancied that they were the only ones who knew about it. Leon settled on the sand, pushing his black leathers beneath his legs, and kept a watchful eye as Andrea slipped off her shirt and splashed into the water. Something caught in his float as he watched her and his stomach pulsed with… what? Nerves? He tried to think of the feeling, but it was unknown to him.

However, as he watched her more… he began to notice things; her lithe body ducking under the waves, her radiant smile, her childish laugh, the way her eyes were alight as she took in everything around her and her pure happiness. It brought forth a lump in Leon's throat as he watched her and he couldn't look away. She was so beautiful… so young and innocent. She was everything he never was.

Leon was aware of his outward appearance. To others he was scrawny, but he fancied himself lean. He was stronger than it was suggested, but he wished he was scarier. He was never able to do anything interesting with his hair; often combing it back; his jaw was square and his eyes were a lifeless blue. He was the essence of monotony.

Andrea, in contrast, was beautiful. She was everything he was not. Surprisingly, he found that he wasn't jealous at that revelation. He liked having her work for him and her energy and enthusiasm was wonderful.

But the other night… he'd felt sorry for her when her clock had started. In a way, it made her a woman, but she was vulnerable now. Death was a very real prospect in her future as well as his.

"Don't you want to come in too?" she asked him.

"Oh, no, I'm not really dressed for it…" he muttered feebly in reply.

"Come on! You've got to have a break from that tedious job!"

He thought, _fuck it_, and stood, stripping down to his underwear. For a second he was painfully aware of how inadequate his body was to hers, but then it was lost under the water.

It was much more fun than he'd thought. She loved having someone else in the water with her and was eager to show him cool moves. He learned the 'crocodile death roll', the 'backflip', the 'somersault' and the 'handstand', but was complete rubbish at them. Andrea didn't mind though. She spoke words of encouragement and laughed kindly when he failed spectacularly.

"Swimming isn't my thing," he said, spitting out a large mouthful of seawater. Giggling, she walked up the sand and grabbed her towel, drying herself quickly. She handed it to him and he dried himself before dressing in his own clothes and giving it back. The skirt was back on, covering her legs and the bottom of her bikini.

On the way back he was more talkative than usual.

"There's a party at the McKinnon's tomorrow night," he said. "I've been invited and would you like to come as my partner? It's required for some reason."

"Why haven't you asked me before?"

"Well, I thought-"

"I'll gladly accompany you," she said happily. "After all, it is my coming out. Now I can be introduced to society."

His heart sank as he heard her say that. Maybe she was going to get another job somewhere else and leave him. If she did, he would miss her company.

"Have you got a dress? It is a formal occasion…"

"Yes, I have a dress."

How he hoped she would be accepted.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

The freedom was surprisingly intoxicating.

Andrea loved going out and being able to pay with the time on her wrist instead of capsules. She found that people greeted her often, now that she was mature, like them. There were definite advantages to having a clock.

The day after her outing she was going out shopping, her mind filled with thoughts of the party later on. She was more excited than she'd let on to Leon this morning as he left for work. This was her chance. Being so preoccupied, she didn't notice someone trying to get her attention until he was right beside her.

"Andrea," the man panted. Her face lit up.

"Hey Colin," she beamed. "How are you?"

"I'm good," he blinked. "What's got you so happy?"

"Tonight I'm making my debut at the McKinnon's party that Leon invited me to," she said proudly. Colin nodded slowly and glanced down at her wrist.

"I see you've got time now," he grinned. His own wrist had a century on it.

"Yeah, I turned twenty-five a couple days ago."

"Do you want to go out sometime?" he asked suddenly. She blinked at him.

"Sure, I mean, if I get time off-"

"Great! I'll call you."

"I guess."

Colin grinned and leant over, pecking her cheek. She blushed then chastised herself for blushing.

"Don't blush," he said coolly. "I was hoping you'd come for dinner and meet my parents. I always take prospective brides over for their approval."

"Prospective…?"

"I know it's a bit sudden, but I've been dropping hints for a while now. I thought you'd picked up on them."

"Obviously I-"

"Well, look at the time," he interrupted, glancing at his wrist. "I have an appointment to get to. I'll call you in a couple days to ask about dinner."

"Um, okay."

Colin waved down a taxi and got in quickly. Andrea watched him drive away and a worm of excitement burst through her chest. Prospective bride! Colin had his family were immensely rich. Since she worked for a Timekeeper she was afforded luxuries other servants weren't. Like she could choose to leave when she wanted and her Timekeeper in particular paid her well.

She quickly finished her shopping and ran home, eager to tell Leon her news. To her delight he was already there in a suit, examining his reflection distastefully.

"I've never liked suits," he said sordidly, screwing up his face as if there was something unpleasant under his nose. Andrea laughed and disappeared into her room for an hour while Leon wandered about downstairs, stopping Rodney to chat for a few minutes. He was sitting in his favourite chair twiddling his thumbs when she came down the stairs.

She was radiant. Her body was wrapped in an elegant white gown, her blonde hair swept up in waves, her feet clipped into shoes that glimmered. He blinked.

"I hope it's not too much," she said quickly.

"No," he assured her. "You look wonderful."

Please, she held out her hand and he took it, leading her outside and into his car. Her stomach churned with nerves as she thought about the party. What if she tripped and made a fool of herself? There was no way she'd make her debut if something like that happened.

"You'll do fine," he said, calming her. She nodded and took a deep breath.

The party venue was beautiful – a domed white villa with extensive gardens and swishing fountain. Andrea got out of their parked car and took Leon's offered hand, allowing him to lead her to the front doors. Music spilled out and she glanced at him once, for reassurance, before plunging inside.

People were everywhere – talking, dancing, eating and drinking. Andrea didn't know any of them, but Leon did. He introduced her to several important people, all of whom looked at her with interest.

"Is she spoken for?" a particularly rude man asked.

"Yes," Leon replied curtly. Eventually he led her to the dance floor and they struck a traditional dance.

"It's very busy," Andrea commented.

"It usually is."

"Leon…"

"Yes?"

"Just before I came home I was talking to Colin and he said that I was a prospective bride for him!"

"I can't say I'm surprised."

"What do you mean?"

"He's talked of nothing but marriage for the past five years. He'll marry any woman with two legs and a pretty face."

"Do you really think I have a pretty face?"

"You _know_ you've got a pretty face."

"It's satisfying to hear you say it."

"What did you say to Colin?"

"Well, I agreed to go to dinner but I'm thinking about it. I think it's too early to rush into marriage."

"I whole-heartedly agree with you."

She didn't understand why his posture had gone rigid, or why his jaw had tightened. Even though she tried to speak to him while they danced, he gave her short and irritable answers. Then he excused himself and disappeared. She had to make do with talking to a group of mixed men and women who she barely knew.

For the rest of the night she couldn't find Leon. It was like he'd disappeared. Once she was satisfied she'd made her debut and wanted to go home, he was nowhere to be found. So, muttering to herself, she pulled off her shoes and walked. It probably wasn't the best of ideas, but she was tired and her home wasn't too far away.

The huge house eventually drew out of sight. She walked on and wondered why she didn't ask anyone else for a ride home. It seemed silly now but she really should push on and hope that Leon would drive past.

Where was he? He'd just disappeared once she'd told him Colin was interested in her. But why…? Was he jealous? That could explain it! But why was he jealous? Her heart jumped into her mouth. Did he fancy her? Surprisingly the thought didn't repulse her and her head was filled with images of him pressing her against a wall, kissing her like his life depended on it. She smiled. It was quite pleasant. Now she realised why her body had tingled at the sight of his nearly-naked body when they were swimming. If he did fancy her, she fancied him in return. Somewhere along the lines of friendship and servitude, it had come to affection that surpassed mere companionship. She wondered if she should say something when she got home. Her stomach filled with nerves as she thought of telling him that she liked him, and having him kiss her.

So wrapped up in her pleasant thoughts, she didn't notice the headlights pulling up to her and three men getting out of the car. She felt their presences and turned, but it was too late. They grabbed her around the middle and covered her mouth with a handkerchief.

Immediately, her body fell limp and she passed out.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

He shouldn't chastise himself for liking her, especially if he wanted to court her. But after she'd told him that that idiot Colin had told her his intentions, Leon couldn't look her in the face, for fear that he would lose control and end up touching her, or worse, kissing her.

So after the song ended he mumbled an excuse and left her standing after him in confusion. His behaviour was unacceptable, but he was inept in the art of seduction. He was painfully aware that dozens of more attractive men would be clamouring for her hand and he didn't want to have to compete with them.

Angrily, he pulled a stick of gum from his pocket and shoved it in his mouth. It was what he did when he was annoyed and needed to think. He was approached by a group of hopeful women, all of whom had knowledge of his high-class profession and wealth, but slipped past them quickly, bursting onto the back veranda and leaning against the railing. Another man leant beside him.

"That's a pretty girl you were here with," the man said. His name was Victor and he had been a Timekeeper until quitting to spend more time with his wife and newborn son and now he worked part-time somewhere else.

"She works for me," Leon replied shortly.

"Why do I get the feeling you wish she was more than a servant?" Victor asked. Leon fixed him with one of his famous glares.

"It's none of your business," he said hotly, squashing his gum with his tongue. Victor raised his hands in mock-surrender.

"Don't bite my head off!" He leant in closer. "I heard your whole conversation while dancing. You shouldn't let her rile you up like that."

"Like I said, it's none of your business."

"Ray, we've been friends for fifty years. If you were thinking straight you would take my advice. Get in there and snatch her before some other asshole does." He rolled his eyes. "Now don't give me that crap about all your little insecurities about your appearance. Just take a risk. You do it all the time at work."

Victor winked and slapped Leon's arm before walking off. For the next hour Leon stood there, staring out into the night, trying to pluck up the courage to go back inside and face Andrea. It was strange. At work he took unthinkable risks at the expense of others and saved countless lives, and when faced with declaring his feelings to one of his friends, he was frozen.

Finally, he went back inside, spitting his gum into a bin and sidestepping the crowd in an effort to find her. He went through the house three times, frowning when she was nowhere to be seen. Maybe she'd walked home? But she wouldn't go without asking him first.

Thinking quickly, he retreated to the basement where the party's security was set up, with cameras at the entrance and in every room to ensure the safety of guests. He nodded to the men guarding the room and they let him through, recognising the Head Timekeeper. Inside there were three men, all scrutinising dozens of screens, looking for anything out of place.

"Hello," he said. "I'm looking for someone."

He gave them her details and they looked through the records on a separate computer. Its memory coughed up all known videos of Andrea at the party. Leon watched as they arrived, mingled, danced, she mingled some more, and then left.

He froze. She walked? That was dangerous. He thanked the men and allowed them to return to their scrutinising, darting outside and gunning his engine before roaring down the road she would have taken.

The whole way there and back, he didn't find her. Doreen said that she hadn't returned, but the mail had come with an important-looking package. Impatiently, he ripped open the package and found himself looking at a blank screen. The second his finger touched the screen it activated.

Four men took up the entire space. Leon knew them all. He'd thrown them into Dayton after they'd been caught stealing time from New Greenwich and using it in the black market trading for prostitutes.

_"Timekeeper," _one man said. His name was Fred.

_"I do believe you cheated us on our fortune," _said another, this one named Rick.

_"And we're taking revenge," _said the third savagely, called Parker.

_"So you better listen up," _growled the fourth – Garth.

_"Remember that pretty girl who works for you? The blonde one with the great body? If you ever want to see her again, you'll listen up," _Rick said calmly.

_"We want all our time back," _Parker ordered, _"or we'll take hers."_

_ "Better yet," _Fred said, _"if you take too long to decide she'll time out. She's only got four hours left to live."_

They moved aside and Leon saw Andrea, tied to a chair and gagged, eyeing the men fearfully.

_"Better think quick," _Garth purred, _"or she's dead."_

Leon froze. Andrea was in danger because of him. His job entitled risks, and now they were using her to get what they wanted. Those good for nothing motherfu-

"Leon," Doreen said, "get upstairs and change. I'll call headquarters and let them know that there's been a kidnapping and you're coming in to investigate."

"Thanks," Leon said numbly. He ran upstairs and was back down in minutes, looking distinctly dishevelled. His police car was ready for him and he leapt into it, zooming through the roads to headquarters. A group of other Timekeepers were waiting for him.

"We're Timekeepers," one of them said. "How does a kidnapping concern us?"

"Remember those four guys robbing banks in New Greenwich?" Leon spat out. "They kidnapped one of my staff and they want to trade her for all that time we took from them."

He marched inside and told the story to his colleagues. They looked dubious.

"We're not giving them our time," a man said. "She's an acceptable loss."

Anger coursed through Leon. "I am your boss! Now get me some fucking answers before she times out or it's your neck on the line!"

No one dared disobey him, especially in a temper like this. He gave one of his top analysts the screen and she examined it for evidence.

"There's a bit of mould and blood," she observed. "By the rate of decomposing I'd guess this screen has been under the ground for a while. Possibly a basement."

Then he moved to his facial recognition team. They were working hard, searching their visual database for records of any of the four men in the past few hours. It would take some time so he moved on to the phone lines.

"Sir, we've got a report that a car was spotted along the same road around the time of the kidnapping. It was a… oh my, it was a taxi designated X68MG."

Leon relayed the information to his database searchers and they looked for records of the vehicle. It was declared missing several days ago when it disappeared from the lot, but had been seen driving up non-main roads. Surprisingly no one had thought to send over the information, because it was little-known that the taxi was missing. No one cared for that kind of stuff anymore.

Once the car was recognised, his team searched for any correlation between the car and any of the men.

"They could easily have been wearing masks," someone commented.

Leon checked his own wrist. He had seven hours. That was more than enough if he had to give her some time. Hopefully the situation wouldn't be that desperate.

Finally, one and a half hours later, they had a match. The car had been seen with Parker in the front and Garth in the passenger seat, with two people clearly sitting in the back. Leon caught sight of a white dress and knew where it was. The location itself was half an hour's drive away, but if he was quick he could manage it in twenty minutes. He could not afford to waste time on this, so he gathered five other Timekeepers and took them with him. The six cars formed a line down the road and no one thought to cross them. If there were six cars then something important was going down.

Leon was chewing gum again. He desperately wanted to save Andrea. There was no way she would be taken from him when he'd only just recognised his own feelings for her. If he did save her – shut up, you will! – would she then feel the same? The questions churned around in his head and he kept on anxiously glancing at his wrist. Time passed slowly and his impatience grew with every passing second.

As they drew closer to the building Leon ordered the other cars to turn off their lights. It was a large concrete structure in the middle of nowhere with no power or running water. The taxi was parked right in front of it and Leon hissed as he saw it.

Now he had to figure out how to get Andrea away safely before her time ran out.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Andrea had woken in a dark room, lit only by a dozen candles off to one side. Four men were hunched in a table nearby, talking quietly. She looked down and found that she had been bound to a chair and gagged. Her beautiful dress – which had cost two years thank you very much! – was in tatters and her shoes were gone. She was a complete mess.

The men noticed she was awake and sauntered over. The tallest one spoke.

"Your boss ruined our business and we're just getting even. Don't worry, if he does what we want we'll let you out of here, no harm done. We don't fancy hurting girls much."

"We just like trading them," one put in. The four of them shared cruel laughter and Andrea stared. Chortling, they moved back to their table and began to play a loud and raucous game of cards. Andrea tried to spit out her gag but a band had been tied around her mouth to prevent it and she could only untie it with free hands, since the knot was on the back of her head. Her hands were bound, as were her feet, and there didn't seem to be any way she could free herself unless she had a knife. Angrily, she tossed her head and another thought struck her.

Leon was the most experienced Timekeeper she knew. If anyone could find her, he would. It was his job to keep track of crimes, as well as time-

Her eyes widened and she twisted in her chair to check her wrist. The men looked over suspiciously but calmed as they saw that she was just checking her clock. She saw that she only had four hours and her head swam. Leon had to find her soon, or she would time out. Wow. Only days into her ageless existence – two to be exact – and she was already fated to die.

A growl came out from her throat but she pushed it down.

The men soon grabbed a screen and made a recording, telling Leon to hurry up. Andrea listened curiously and was outraged that they'd taken her just to get their time back. Two of them disappeared for an hour and Andrea was getting incredibly bored.

"He's got the message," one of the men said proudly.

Time passed and Andrea found herself constantly twisting to check her clock. Two hours ticked down. Now she was down to an hour. Had Leon not been able to find her?

There was a bang from somewhere above and all heads snapped upwards. Three men stood warily and pulled guns out from under the table. They opened the door that she reasoned led to stairs and disappeared through it. The other man moved behind Andrea and held a gun to her head.

Gunshots echoed for a few tantalising minutes. Andrea paled as she imagined Leon's body; stiff and unmoving with blood pouring from a wound in his chest… stop it! He would come to get her! She would not die here!

The gunshots ceased and the door swung open. Leon stood there, aiming directly at the man behind me.

"Drop it Parker," he said coldly. "Fred and Garth are dead."

"Oh yeah? Where's Rick?" Parker sneered. Another gunshot sounded above.

"That would be him dead," Leon growled, moving forward. His radio crackled.

_"We've got all three," _said a voice.

Leon fixed Parker with a hateful glare. "I should have killed you after you murdered that woman."

"She was a prostitute, why would I care?" Parker said dismissively. Andrea was enraged and flung her head to the side, smacking it against his. He yelled and careened sideways. Leon's bullet made short work and he darted over to me, ripping all bindings away.

"Come on," he muttered, "we have to get you home."

Andrea allowed him to carry her upstairs and into the car. The other five Timekeepers all smiled to see that she was safe and the six cars made their way back into the city. Quickly, Andrea glanced at her wrist as Leon stopped into headquarters to give his report. She had fifteen minutes.

He came out ten minutes later and jumped when he saw how little time she had. She protested, but he took her hand and gave her thirty minutes. Andrea held back her gasp at the warmth of his touch.

When they got home Doreen and Rodney both fawned over them, expressing their worry. In the light of the house Andrea was able to see how dishevelled Leon looked. His clothes were crinkled, his face was blotchy and his hair looked like something had been nesting in it. But there was something in his eyes she'd never seen before… was it satisfaction?

They would have stayed up all night if it wasn't for Doreen ordering them to get more time then go to bed. Andrea took two days and had a nice hot shower before changing into her bedclothes and lying down to sleep. It was a relief to be able to sleep now; with time on her wrist and safe with Leon in the house.

That night she dreamed a strange dream. She dreamt she was lying on a beach of perfect white sand with the sea lapping gently against the shore. Someone was breathing next to her and she rolled over and saw Leon. He stared at her then leaned over, brushing his fingers against her skin, causing her to shiver at his touch.

"I won't say no, you know," he said cheekily, moving closer. Her lips trembled in anticipation but he never kissed her. She was woken by Doreen before he could.


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

He was fuming that far from expressing his feelings; he found it increasingly difficult to talk to her.

She gave him plenty of opportunities to talk to her. One time he had a group of Timekeepers over for dinner to discuss new policies and he'd been talking to her in another room. A Timekeeper had come into the room and Leon had ducked into a closet, pulling her with him. They stood there in the darkness, his lips millimetres from her nose, until the Timekeeper left. He didn't know why he'd wanted to avoid the Timekeeper. It just seemed natural to keep his conversations with Andrea a secret. She was confused by his behaviour, but put it down to sudden mood changes.

Things were getting more difficult at work too. There were more robberies and murders. Leon was having a hard time keeping up with it all. But when he got home, Andrea was always there with food, a massage and words of advice and comfort. He knew that he would have to express his feelings soon.

"How was dinner with Colin and his family?" he asked her when she returned in a dress of black satin. She fixed him with a baleful gaze.

"They are boring and never joke. I am never marrying Colin," she said firmly.

Leon tried to ignore the way his heart soared when he heard her say that. "I'm sure there will be plenty more men."

"I don't really care. I already know who I want to marry," she said dismissively. He ducked his head, his momentary happiness fading away. What he didn't see was her eyes travelling over his body wistfully.

"He'll be a lucky guy," Leon mumbled. Why was he acting to selfish? She could have any guy she wanted. She was beautiful enough. He on the other hand, was cold and indifferent. It was a public look he'd adopted to make sure people knew he wouldn't be messed with. If any of them knew the real him he kept hidden he would be out of office and replaced with someone harsher.

Huffing, Andrea stalked upstairs and he listened to her having a shower for a minute before realising how creepy that was. In an attempt to fill his boredom, he checked his time and went upstairs to his study, transferring more time onto his wrist. He had several thousand years stored up from all his work and he was proud of it.

Leon jumped when Andrea opened the door and came in, wrapped in a dressing gown and towelling her hair dry.

"I've got a crick in my neck," she announced. "I hope it's not too much of an inconvenience to ask you to fix it, but Doreen and Rodney are out of town at the moment and they usually-"

"Of course, I'd be happy to do it," Leon said quickly. She sat down on the couch and turned, setting her back to him. He sat behind her and immediately began to gently rub her shoulders, admiring the feel of her skin. She shivered and he wondered if he was cold, then wondered if she was responding to his touch. Excitement coursed through him. She was giving him yet another chance to declare his feelings. This time he was determined to succeed and claim her as his.

He lost track of time as he rubbed and pounded her shoulders. She often sighed appreciatively and he was feelings strange. Never before had he been so eager to talk to someone, so when she finally said that it was enough and turned around, he was nearly at a loss for words.

She said something that he didn't hear, for blood was pounding in his ears. Gently, Leon took her hands and she froze, biting her lip. He moved closer, tilting his head, and saw her lean forward too and close her eyes…

The front door slamming made them both jump. Andrea stood and grabbed her towel, disappearing from the room. Leon was confused. He sat there, staring at the door for a while, until he accepted that she wasn't coming back.

Disappointment seeped into his bones. He'd almost kissed her. She'd welcomed it, but then she'd left. If they _had_ kissed, he'd probably end up on top of her and… then what? He couldn't make love to her just yet. He had to be sure of what she wanted. It had been sixty years since he'd made love to anyone and even then she hadn't been his girlfriend. A whole new dimension was opening up to him – the dimension of relationships.

Angrily, he stomped down the hall and threw himself into bed, fuming. Next time nothing would interrupt. He would kiss her and he would make sure of it.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

The next morning Andrea pulled herself out of bed feeling worn out. She couldn't get last night out of her head and she didn't want to. Leon had leaned into her and she'd responded. Their lips had been so close and then Doreen and Rodney came home and ruined the moment.

Leon was already at work by the time she dragged herself downstairs for breakfast. Doreen was cleaning the kitchen and noticed Andrea's expressionless face.

"What's wrong?" she asked.

"Nothing," Andrea sighed.

Doreen eventually wormed the truth out of her and she didn't seem surprised that Andrea and Leon were attracted to each other.

"Tonight I'll go out with Rodney somewhere in town," Doreen promised. "You'll have the house to yourself and you can kiss him then."

Andrea hesitated. "There's something else…"

"Yes?"

"I don't want to seem too forward, but I want to…"

"Do you wish to make love to him?"

"I- yes."

Doreen looked worried. "Is this your first time?"

"Yes," Andrea sighed.

"If you're with Leon, there's nothing to worry about," Doreen assured her. "There will be some pain at first but you can work past that."

"I really hope he agrees," Andrea said dejectedly. "Last night I sort of stormed away from him."

"Let him know how you feel and it'll all be okay," Doreen grinned. "Make sure you tell me everything when Rodney and I get back."

For the rest of the day, far from feeling worn out, worms of excitement made their way through Andrea. She dressed carefully in sensual lingerie and clothes that would be easy to remove. Her chores were done quickly and she made sure she had plenty of time with her.

When Leon came home it was clear he'd had a bad day. He stormed up to his study and slammed the door shut. Doreen and Rodney heard him come in and left the house. Andrea watched them go and went to the kitchen to finish making her stew for when Leon came downstairs for food and to talk.

He was up there for an hour. When he came down his hair was as neat as ever, but his face was blank and he refused to look at Andrea. Her heart thumped so loudly in her chest she was sure he could hear it. When he spoke she jumped.

"You're stew is as good as ever," he said quietly. "Where are Doreen and Rodney?"

"They're out for the night," Andrea said carefully. Something flashed over his face but he covered it quickly and continued eating. She quickly out her own food and swallowed a few mints, testing her breath while he was focussed on his stew. He finished and she took his plate, washing it up while he watched her, leaning back in his chair comfortably.

"Why did you respond?" he asked. She blushed, but he couldn't see her.

"Because I-" her voice faltered and she dried her hands on a towel. She didn't want to confess her feelings for fear of being rejected. Once she'd turned to face Leon she saw nothing but honesty and hope on his face. There was something in his eyes she'd never seen. That something made his usually lifeless eyes sparkle. It gave her the courage to continue.

"Because I like you," she said firmly. "A lot."

He was silent for so long that she feared rejection. Then he raised a hand and beckoned her forward. Without hesitation she moved to stand in front of him. He stood and she blushed at how close he was.

Ever so slowly, he brushed a stray strand of hair from her face behind her ear. She trembled under his touch and raised her eyes to look him full in the face. There was nothing but desire there. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned down slightly, tilting his head. She closed her eyes and went the distance, finally kissing him.

His lips were incredibly, indescribably, soft.

At first his kisses were soft and hesitant, then they began to go deeper. His tongue snaked into her mouth and she traced her own around the outline of his lips. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him closer. He didn't resist and slid his arms around to clutch her hair and back. Her own hands were exploring his hair, messing it from its perfect state.

He quaked under her touch. She heard him moan and push her back against the wall. He kissed her neck, earning a gasp from her, and she wrapped one leg around his waist. The movement made him hesitate.

"Don't you…" he said hesitantly. She gazed at him imploringly, attempting to communicate how much she wanted this. Abandoning all sense, he captured her mouth in a kiss and drew both legs around him, carrying her upstairs to his room.

They fell onto the bed and she pushed his coat away from his shoulders and yanked his shirt over his head. He winced as he saw his inadequate body but she ran her hands over his torso feverishly, causing him to shudder. When he was naked he took great relish in undressing her. They were both naked and she loved the feel of being trapped under him and the softness of his skin.

"It's been about sixty years since I've done this," he whispered to her. She shook her head and bit her lip. To her surprise he dipped his head and kissed her, then took her bottom lip in his mouth and bit down gently. She was so lost in sensations she barely registered any of the pain.

_So this is what it's like to be loved, _she thought hazily, giving herself to him completely.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

There was no point keeping their relationship slow. Two months after that night, Leon stood nervously with the celebrant as he and Andrea were married. Doreen had clapped and said to Andrea that it was about time Leon settled down with a wife.

Leon and Andrea enjoyed their honey moon. When they got back Andrea still worked in the house, but Doreen and Rodney shouldered much of the responsibility. Leon remained a Timekeeper and Andrea was now the Timekeepers wife.

Things started to go wrong a few months into their marriage. Leon became withdrawn and obsessed with the two new criminals that had popped up – Will Salas and Sylvia Weis. When he came home he always went to his study and paid little attention to Andrea. She shrugged and accepted that, as he had to work hard to earn time. From what she'd heard about the criminals, they were giving time away to the lesser Time Zones. That wouldn't so. She agreed with Leon to have them brought to justice. After all, they were upsetting the balance.

Andrea panicked when Leon came home with a bullet wound. She tended to him and he communicated his love for her.

"How many more afternoons will be like this?" she asked in exasperation.

"I don't know, my love," he said calmly, reaching up and kissing her softly. She smiled and kissed him back before putting the finishing touches to his bandage.

"Just as long as you still come to me in the afternoons I'm fine," she cooed, nuzzling him fondly. He grinned. She knew why she married him. He was quite possibly the most amazing man she knew.

But things didn't last. Andrea was lying in bed one night, wondering where Leon was, when she got the call. She ran to the phone, expecting him to explain where he was, but instead it was another Timekeeper, saying that Leon had timed out on duty.

She froze and dropped the phone. Surely… no. She could feel it. He was gone.

She went to his funeral but didn't speak. Doreen tried to comfort her but it didn't work. Andrea knew what she must do. The night after Leon's funeral she stored all her time except for ten minutes and snuck down to their secret cove at the beach. She lay on the sand, staring up at the sky, thinking of him.

_4… 3… 2… 1…_

Her last thought before she timed out was that she had been fulfilled. She had been the Timekeepers wife.

Then everything went black.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

"Time," he muttered.

He used the hand holding his gun to push his sleeve back. The numbers stared back at him accusingly, daring him to say something.

_4… 3… 2… 1…_

His last thought was of Andrea. Leon loved her with every fibre of his body and soul. He looked up at the two criminals who were staring at him. It didn't make sense; he would die and they would live on.

He would miss Andrea. He thought of her beautiful golden hair and her unique scent. He breathed in for the last time and imagined he could smell her. He heard her laugh and then her breathy moan. Tears barely had a chance to form at the sides of his eyes. He would never see her again. Those two criminals had torn apart a marriage and they would never know.

There was a thudding in his chest and he was thrown back. He was dead before he hit the ground.


End file.
